1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to photographic apparatus adapted to receive a film container of the type supporting a filmstrip having a leader extending from the container. More particularly, the invention relates to loading apparatus for properly positioning the film leader in a camera or other photographic device as the film container is received in such device.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Many 35 mm cameras are adapted to receive both film cassettes, which can be reloaded by the user with coiled 35 mm film cut from long rolls, and film magazines, which are factory-loaded with coiled 35 mm film and not reusable. Typically, some difficulty exists in loading 35 mm cameras with film from either a cassette or a magazine. For example, in a bottom-loaded 35 mm camera, such as the Leica M4 series or more recent M5, the cassette or the magazine is first inserted endwise, i.e., axially, slightly into a film supply chamber, opened at the bottom of the camera by removing a baseplate. Just enough film leader to reach an automatic take-up spool in a film take-up chamber of the camera is drawn out of a light-tight opening in the film container. Then, the drawn leader, which is normally curled, is held straight and inserted edgewise, i.e., longitudinal edge first, into a straight guide slot connecting the supply and take-up chambers. At the same time, insertion of the film container into the supply chamber is completed and the forward end of the drawn leader is positioned in the take-up chamber for engagement with the take-up spool.
Other 35 mm cameras, such as the Olympus OM-10, are loaded at the back rather than at the bottom. First, a cassette or a magazine is inserted into the supply chamber of the camera, and the necessary length of film leader is drawn out of the opening in the film container and uncurled. Then, a forward end of the drawn leader is inserted into a groove in a take-up spool in the take-up chamber of the camera, coupling the forward end with the take-up spool.
Such film loading procedure for cameras using film cassettes or film magazines are troublesome and require a certain amount of manual dexterity. A film container that simplifies the loading procedure is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,592,158, issued Apr. 8, 1952 to Kirby et al. In that patent, a film cassette is provided with a telescoping U-shaped wire frame, which is nested in a groove to support the normally curled film leader in a straight line. In operation, the wire frame is pulled out with the film leader. Then, as the film cassette is inserted in the supply chamber of a camera, the straightened leader is guided by the wire frame into a film slot, connected with the supply chamber. At the same time, the wire frame contacts an inner wall of the supply chamber and is pushed back into the groove. While this cassette eliminates the step in the film loading procedure of manually holding the curled leader straight for insertion into a film slot, certain problems may arise. For example, the pulled-out wire frame can jam in the nesting groove, preventing completed insertion of the cassette into the supply chamber of the camera. Moreover, use of this cassette is limited to cameras specifically designed to accept the cassette.